Keith McKeever

Housing prices are going down in many markets but it really is a market by market thing. Rental prices do seem to keep going up which makes that an attractive option. First I would check with a mortgage lender about what you are qualified to purchase and how renting out your current home factors into that. Secondly you need to do some soul searching and determine if you want to be the landlord and deal with everything that comes with that or hire a property manager to do most of that for you. Once you have these answers you will be much more prepared to make an educated decision.

The National Association of Realtors has a designation called the Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource. You can find a list of agents with this designation in your area here http://realtorsfr.org/sfr-directory/

If you purchased a year ago then you really need to talk to a local expert. Each market is different and where you homes value is today vs last year or even a few months ago has changed. To know what it will take, and how much it will cost, estimated timelines and more are all things a great local agent will know how to advise you on, and navigate the process with you.

If you feel as though this agent might be confrontational in person or on the phone then I would advise calling their office and asking to speak with their Designated Managing Broker. Explain your feelings and facts to them and ask to be reassigned or have the listing agreement be cancelled so you can go another route. As for eight offers all backing out, there has got to be a reason for that. The hard part is nailing down what that is exactly. Some options could be an inspection issue, changing markets, changing life events for them or (and I hate to say it) maybe it is your agent. If you do go with another agent, I do recommend interviewing a few and ask them if they notice anything with the house that might account for eight buyers backing out, fresh insight could be very helpful.

My advice would depend on how original the rest of the house is and the difficulty of installing and matching the trim color. You may be able to find old doors at a salvage company but that could also be like searching for a needle in a haystack too. You are probably looking at a minimum of $250 per door if you replace them yourself between the door, trim, paint/stain etc. Consider what may be common in your neighborhood and the time, energy and money to invest in replacing them.

There is no real easy answer here except to refer back to the purchase contract or addendums and see what it states about that. In my area of the country those could only be asked for up front with the original offer and not after inspections but that very likely may not be the case in your area. If in doubt about the contract you may need to seek legal advice.

You need to refer to your states building codes and local MLS rules which it looks like some others have posted for PA. In general you will likely find that a bedroom consists of a closet and window capable of egress. In Illinois for example that is 24" tall and 20" wide.

Here are the first few steps to take in the process... Determine your budget: Calculate how much you can afford to spend on a home based on your income, debts, and other expenses. Get pre-approved for a mortgage: Contact a lender or mortgage broker to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This will give you an idea of how much you can borrow and what your monthly payments will be. Save for a down payment: Determine how much you will need for a down payment based on the type of mortgage you are getting and the purchase price of the home. Improve your credit score: A higher credit score can help you get a better mortgage rate. Review your credit report and take steps to improve your score, such as paying bills on time and paying off debt.

You can refinance a property after six months. Be careful to calculate the expenses in doing so like appraisal and closing costs. A term I heard a long time ago always pops into my head with this question. Marry the house and date the rate! Rates are projected to come down but who knows how much or when.

You are not required to hire them unless you have signed a buyers agency agreement with them. In some states they may have exclusive and non exclusive agreements so if you do sign with an agent make sure you know what your signing and what is expected of both of you during the buying process.

Here is some general advice on things to do... Determine your rental price: Research comparable rentals in your area to determine a fair rental price for your home. Make any necessary repairs or updates to the property to ensure it is in good condition for renters. Create a detailed rental listing that includes information about the property, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, and any amenities. Include photos of the property. Post your rental listing on websites like Zillow, Craigslist, and local rental listing websites, and consider placing ads in local newspapers or on community bulletin boards. Review applications from interested renters and select a tenant based on their credit history, employment history, and references. Have the tenant sign a lease agreement that outlines the terms of the rental, such as the monthly rent amount, the length of the lease, and any rules or regulations. And finally establish a system for collecting rent, such as setting up automatic monthly payments or requiring that rent be paid in person or by mail.

There could be many reasons why this is the case. Keep in mind that the photos of property could be misleading in a way. Sometimes poor quality photos, bad angles or angles that avoid something unsightly are used. There is no substitute for seeing a property in person and getting a feel for the place. Perhaps there is a smell in the house, poor layout, issues that have come up during past inspections, the neighborhood etc. It could also seem like a decent price to you but be overpriced for others. Also keep in mind for the past year homes in many markets around the country have sold very quickly because of low inventory creating a sellers market. That is changing in some places and having a month or two on the market may be more "normal" in an area now than it has been in a long time.

It has to be priced right for the condition and location. The only way to know where that price point is would be to connect with a great local Realtor to help sort through the data and comparables to formulate where your home is positioned in the market. There may be things to do in order to make a home more competitive and stand out with a great first impression. Those would be staging, interior and exterior cleaning, great photography/videography as well as a robust marketing plan.

The CMA compares the property to similar recently sold properties in the same area, taking into account factors such as location, size, age, and condition. The report also looks at properties that are currently on the market to determine the competition that the property might face if it were to be listed for sale. The CMA is important because it helps sellers determine a realistic asking price for their property based on market conditions and recent sales data. Buyers can also benefit from a CMA by using it to determine a fair price to offer on a property.

There are a couple of things to consider here. Yes you can call and use the listing agent but only if they are allowed to be what is called a dual agent (represent both sides, if allowed in your state and by the seller). They will not be able to fully help you with determining what price to offer, negotiation strategy etc, but can help you write the offer and present that to the seller and manage a transaction to closing. A dedicated buyers agent could be fully on your side in terms of finding comparable properties, pricing, negotiation strategy, and getting it to closing. Hope that helps.

Mechanical issues, structural issues, but those are generally going to be age specific. Older homes that are say 100 years old will have problems just like a 40 year old home, just potentially different types of problems. Talk to your agent to see what is most common for your price point and area of the country.